Polishing machine



July 29, 1941. H. M.'MoRR|s 2,250,720

PCLVfISHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1939 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l NveNToRHERMAN M. MORRIS- B /Z I TORNEY 'FIG'. 2.

July 29, 194i. H, M, MORRIS 2,250,720v

PCLISHING MACHINE Filed oct. 2s, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR l HERMAN M. MORRIS BY A ORNEY Patented July 29, 1941 U NlT ES'TTSES PAT ENT IC E 2,250,720 rousnme MACHINE Herman M. Morris,St.:Louis, M0..

Application October 23, 1939, Serial No.300,"7v58.V

12 Claims.

This invention relates generally to certain newand useful improvementsin polishing or buflingV and cleaning machines and'has for. its primary.

objects the provision of a `machineof `the-type stated whichV is simpleYand economical construction, whch is automatic,Y speedy,y and uniformin operation, which buffs and cleans the Work thoroughly and eiciently,and-whichY ishighly satisfactory inv the performance of its stated.functions.

And With the abovev and othervobjects in View, my. invention .resides inthe novel features -of form, construction, arrangementiand combination.of parts presently. described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings@ sheets),-

Figure 1 isa side elevational view of. a polishing .machine constructedin accordance with and embodyingmy present invention;

Figure. 2 vis. alongitudinal sectional -viewY ofA the machine;`

Figure B is a vertical sectionalview of themachine, taken approximatelyalong the lineu 3 3, Figure. 2.;

Figure 4.is .an enlarged detailview of 4the-abrasive` hopper l of the.machineg Figure 5 is anY enlarged detail view-of the work-L feeder andpick-up of the machine;

Figure 6V is `VaV fragmentary, sectional lviewof thelwork feeder andpickfup, taken approximately along; the 11.11V 616,. Figure;5; and4LFigure '7 is a fragmentary plan` View of a iiight rodand positioninghook of the machine.

Broadly speaking, the machineY includes an.l

endless conveyor having spaced horizontal runs and night rods or othersuitable means for picking up andL progressing` the, work-pieces, forVand during polishing or cleaning. As the work.

pieces move along one of the conveyor runs, one

face of each thereof is exposed to the cleaning f accommodated inthepresent cleaning and buffing machine, forpurposes of illustration andby way-,of example, the presentmachine. is .shown and Willbe describedinconnection withr the cleaningv and bufirng--ofplate-hinges.

Referring now -in-more detail. and by Yreference l characters to thedrawings,- which..illustrate-a-l preferred embodiment ofmy-inventionfthepresent machineincludes a pair -of companion sideframesA rigidly secured together initransversely spaced `parallel `relationlbysuitable upperandV lower sets of cross-beamsl `andeachV having-a pairof longitudinally.alignedwupright legs 2,- 3,'. preferably integrallyrconnected-.by upper-and-- lower longitudinally disposed strips 4,5. Attheir lowerextrem-ity, thelegs -2,-- 3,; are provided-with ff outwardlyprojecting vsuitably apertured'flanges or feet E for `secure'ment toA alicor orcother placeiof support -F by means of conventional lagboltsAor-the-like 'L-l The frames A are provided preferably Aintegrally withrearwardlyk projecting transversely registering arms.f8, disposedV-betweenand suitably journaled upon which-is lalsliafft Bihar/ingV4 Ikeyed thereonY a pair of transversely. spaced l sprocket-Wheelsfl. Theframes A `are similarly provided -withforwardly projecting-transverselyregisteringarmsl I,- disposed between andjournaled uponlwhich with itsaxisparallel -to-andvinthesame horizontal plane as the axis of -theshaft 9;is arshaf-t l2 provided with-a .pairof sprocket wheelsl3respectively positioned 1in. peripheral. alignment` with the sprocket.Wheelsl..

Trained Aover-.the` sprocket AwheelsY Ill,A I3;- are endless conveyorchains IllVv having* upper Mandlowerhorizontalruns h, h',respectivelyandprokvidedrat spaced `intervals withl link Aside-plates I4having projecting lugs l5. Rigidly-mounted at their endsin, and.extending transversely of the.machine..between opposed pairs of,-theside plate ,lugs I5,A areL horizontally. disposed. -flightrods l 6,.suitably mounted` on which and disposed; longitudinallyof. the.machinelis a series ofv suitably Y spaced. hooks. I l eachhaving KvaYbill l 8 pre-v` sented forwardly .of .the machine. Also `ixed on, andA.presentedA rearwardly ofthe machine from each, of therespective ightrods-I6 adjacent the particularhhook Il;V is an.obliquelylbentpositioningV prong l9-extending a substantial-dis? tance.rearwardly ofthe machine4 beyondv the hook Il and providedY with anupwardly and-out- Wardly bent arcuate finger 2i),` all Aas best-seen in-Figures 5,. 6, and. 7 and* forpurpo'seslpresentlyfullyY appearing.

Suitably .xed Yupon. the upper-fcross-beams 4l with its upwardlypresented. face -disposed-slightly beloW...-the plane ofthe .upper`conveyor Chaim run h, is a slide-table or upper bed 2i provided at itsone or rear end with a short downwardly curved lip 22 positionedsubstantially over the shaft 9, and at its other or forward end with anarcuate continuation 23 spaced outwardly from and concentric with theshaft I2.

Similarly mounted upon the lower cross-beams I and extendinghorizontally beneath, and spaced downwardly a short distance from, thelower horizontal conveyor run h', is a second slide plate or lower bed24 provided in its upper face with a plurality of longitudinallyextending channels or ways 25 for accommodating the projecting ends ofthe hook-bills I8 and positioning-fingers 20.

Having preferably an adjustable slot-and-pin connection, as at 26, withthe forward transverse end margin, and forming substantially acontinuation of, the slide .plate 24, is a suitably arcuate plate orwall 28, which extends Iforwardly and upwardly in spaced concentricrelation to the sprockets i3 and table continuation 23, the wall 28being at its upper end suitably supported by bracket arms 29 upstandingfrom the journal arms II and providing with the continuation 23 awork-piece way, as at w, all as best seen in Figures 1 and 2.

Formed in or mounted upon each of the strips 4, 5, are pairs oflongitudinally spaced transversely aligned adjustable bearing members 39each including an open rectangular slide-frame 3| for shiftablyaccommodating a journal block 32 adjustably held between opposed screws33 threaded in the end-members 34 of the frame 3|. Journaled in, andextending transversely of the machine between, the respective sets ofaligned adjustable bearings 39, are shafts35 each provided intermediateits ends with suitable buillng brushes 36.

The respective shafts 35 project at one end outwardly through thejournal blocks 32 and are suitably provided with pulley wheels 37drivingly interconnected and to a suitable prime-mover, such as aconventional high-speed electric motor 38, by means of suitable belts orthe like 39, 40, 4 I the motor 38 being preferably suitably secured uponthe under face of the upper slide table 2l, all as best seen in Figure2.

Similarly, the shaft I2 projects at an end outwardly beyond a side faceof one of the journal arms II and is provided with a sprocket 42 forconnection by means of a sprocket chain 43 to the driven sprocket 44 ofa conventional reduction gear box 45, in turn, drivingly connected to aconventional electric motor 491, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

Suitablyxed upon, and disposed intermediate, the front frame-legs 3, isa conventional preferably sheet-metal open-top hopper 41 having opposeddownwardly inelined bottom wall portions 48 terminating in a reducedslotlike discharge spout or chute 43 normally closed by a freeswingingarcuate cut-olf door 59 pivotally mounted upon the chute side walls andprovided with a downwardly extending trip-rod 5I projecting at its lowerend into the path of the flight-rods I6 as the same move along the lowerconveyor run h', all as bestseen in Figures 1 and 2 and for purposespresently fully appearing.

Similarly mounted upon and disposed between arms 52 extending upwardlyfrom the rear framelegs 2, is a second hopper 53 substantially identicalin all respects with the hopper 4l and likewise provided with adischarge chute 54 having a cutoff door 55, in turn, provided with adownwardly extending trip rod 56 .projecting at its lower end into thepath of the flight-rods I6 as the same move along the upper horizontalconveyor run h, also as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 and for purposespresently fully appearing.

Forming part of, and extending rearwardly from, the frames A, is a pairof arms 51 supporting at their outer extremity obliquely disposed chutes58 each including a back wall 59 bent upwardly at its inner transverseend in the provision of a stop flange 60. Preferably integrallyconnected to the chute back wall 59 by means of a narrow interveningbottom wall 6I,

is a front wall 62 somewhat shorter than the back wall 59 andaccordingly having its inner margin 63 spaced outwardly from the stopflange 6U by a distance somewhat greater than the length of a singlework-piece, that is to say, in the present instance, a hinge-plate H.The chute back wall 59 is also cut away at its lower inner corner in theprovision of a take-off recess 64, all as best seen in Figures 5 and 6and for purposes presently fully appearing.

In use and operation, the motors 4I, 46, are suitably energized and setin motion, thereby rotatively driving the buiing brushes 36 and thesprockets I0, I3, and eiecting travel of the conveyor-chains I4 andassociated flight-rods I6 in the sequential directions indicated by thearrows in Figure 1. At the same time, the feed chutes 58 are suitablyfilled with hinges or other workpieces H, which successively movedownwardly into the position shown in Figure 5.

As a respective flight-rod I6 moves forwardly,

its carried hook-bill I8 passes through the takeoi recess 64 of thechute back wall 59 and engages the presented work-piece H at an exposedscrew-aperture. On subsequent forward movement of the flight-rod I6, theengaged hinge or work-piece H is pulled from the particular chute 58,whereupon such hinge H takes a substantially flatwise position upon theupper face of the table 2l, the inwardly presented longitudinal margin mof such hinge H, in such movement, riding against the nger of thepositioning prong I9 and shifting such hinge H to a so-called squareposition with respect to the flight rod I6, as shown in dotted lines inFigure '7. It may here be observed that, during its subsequent travel,such positioning prong I9 functions to maintain the hinge H in suchstated position, so that the at surface of the hinge H will be uniformlyexposed to the polishing action of the respective bulng brushes 36.

During the course of further travel, the particular flight-rod I6 passesbeneath the hopper 53 and, by tripping the trip-rod 56, as shown inFigure 4, causes a quantity of suitable abrasive or polishing powder tobe deposited upon the 'traveling hinge H. Thereupon, the hinges H arecarried in successive order` beneath the bufng brushes 36 and throughthe arcuate way w into the lower conveyor run h for travel along thelower slide plate 24, during which latter travel that face of the hingeH, which previously was in contact with the upper slide tablev 2I andhence unpolished, now passes beneath the hopil into a suitably-providedcatch pit or the like p, as best seen in Figure 2. f

Through the adjustability of the wall 28, the dimensions of the way wmay -be enlarged or reduced `to more or less snugly `accommodatethe'particularwork-pieces H so as to retain the same upon the hooks l'ias they travel fromthe upper to the lower conveyor run. The machine isrelatively simple structurally, is substantially Wholly automatic andlabor` and time saving, and is. exceedingly eicient in the performanceof its intended functions.

It should be understood that changes and modincations in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of themachine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and describedwithout departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is,-

1. A machine for polishing selected workpieces comprising polishingmeans, conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces successivelybeneath the polishing means, and means associated with said polishingmeans and actuated by the conveyor means for depositing polishingmaterial upon the traveling work-pieces.

2. A polishing machine comprising first and second polishing membersdisposed in spaced planes one elevated above the other, conveyor meanshaving upper and lower runs for progressing work-pieces successivelybeneath the said polishing members, the first member being located overthe upper conveyor run and the second member being located intermediatesaid runs, and means associated with said polishing members and actuatedby the conveyor means for depositing polishing material upon thetraveling work-pieces.

3. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selectedwork-pieces comprising upper and lower polishing means, conveyor meansfor progressing the work-pieces successively beneath the severalpolishing means and inverting the work-pieces during the course oftravel between the polishing means, and means associated with each oi'said polishing means and actuated by the conveyor means for depositingpolishing materia'l upon the traveling work-pieces.

4. A polishing machine comprising rst and second polishing meansdisposed in spaced planes one elevated over the other, and conveyormeans including an arcuate way for progressing workpieces successivelybeneath the rst polishing means, then through said way for inverting theWork-pieces, and then beneath the second polishing means.

5. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selectedworkpieces comprising rst and second flat tables disposed in spacedrelation one above the other, said tables having wayforming curved endcontinuations disposed in spaced concentric relation to each other, andconveyor means for progressing the work-pieces successively across therst table between the end continuations and then acrossy the secondtable.

6. A machine for polishing the opposite iiat faces ci selectedwork-pieces comprising upper and lower tables, first and secondpolishing means respectively positioned above said upper and lowertables, conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces along a pathhaving upper and lower straight sections respectively disposed over'saidtabls and connected by an arcuate secticn'and thereby moving thework-pieces successively :beneath the first' polishing meansfo-rpolishing'one face of the work-pieces, inverting the Work-pieces duringthe course of travel along Y the arcuate path-section, and then finallyvprogressing the work-pieces under the second polisliing means forvpolishing the opposite face of the. work-pieces, and Ymeans for feedingworkpieces tothe conveyor means.

"7. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selectedwork-pieces comprising upper and lower iiat tables having curvedway-forming end continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation toeach other, upper and lower polishing means respectively positionedadjacent the upper and lower tables, and conveyor means including aplurality of spaced parallel flight-rods for progressing the work-piecessuccessively across the upper table, between the end continuations, andthen across the lower table, some of said rods being provided with aplurality of hook-members for engaging the work-pieces.

8. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selectedwork-pieces comprising upper and lower flat tables having curvedway-forming end continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation toeach other, upper and lower polishing means respectively positionedadjacent the upper and lower tables, and conveyor means including aplurality of spaced parallel night-rods for progressing the work-piecessuccessively across the upper table, between the end continuations, andthen across the lower table, some of said rods being provided with aplurality of hooks for gripping the work-pieces and said lower table andits associated end continuation being provided with longitudinalclearance grooves positioned and sized for accommodating said hooks.

9. A polishing and buing machine including upper and lower horizontaltables having curved way-forming continuations disposed in spacedconcentric relation to each other, irst buing means operatively mountedadjacent the upper table, second bufng means operatively mountedadjacent the lower table, and means including a plurality of flight-rodsprovided with hooks for gripping and progressing the work to be polishedacross the upper table while exposing one face to the rst buing meansand then across the lower bed while exposing a different face to thsecond bufng means.

10. A polishing machine including upper and lower horizontal tablesdisposed in planes one above the other, a rst rotary brush operativelymounted adjacent the upper table, a second rotary brush operativelymounted adjacent the lower table, conveyor means including a pluralityof night rods having hooks for gripping and progressing the work. to bepolished first across the upper table and engagingly under the rstbrush, then in an arcuate path for inverting the work, and then acrossthe lower bed and engagingly under the second brush, and means forrotarily actuating the brushes.

11. A polishing machine including frame-members in spaced parallelrelation, first and second tables on the frame-members in spacedrelation one elevated over the other, an arcuate way on theframe-members extending from the upper to the lower table, rst rotarybrushes operatively mounted on the frame-members adjacent the uppertable, second rotary brushes operatively mounted on the frame-membersadjacent the lower table, conveyor means including a pluraling thework-pieces successively across the upper table between the endcontinuations and then across the lower table, each of said rods beingprovided with a plurality of upstanding hooks for gripping thework-pieces, said lower table and its associated end continuation beingprovided with grooves positioned and sized for accommodating the ends ofthe hooks for holding the work-pieces in engaged relation with the hooks10 during travel across the lower table.

HERMAN M. MORRIS.

